FISHES OF NEW YORK 339^ 



raj's, and equals twice width of body; the first anal 

 spine is about equal to one half the depth of body; 

 the first anal ray longest and one half as long as 

 the head. The middle caudal rays equal width of head 

 and about three sevenths of length of head; the external rays 

 are slightly more than one half the length of head; the length of 

 the caudal peduncle equals three times the length of last dorsal 

 spine; the least hight of the peduncle is contained seven and 

 one third times in length of head. The pectoral is twice as 

 long as the mandible; the ventral is at a distanc'e from tip of 

 snout equal to three times length of ventral spine; the ventral 

 spine is usually about two fifths as long as the head, or some- 

 what more. The dorsal spines are all in the same line in a 

 furrow, but they diverge so as to form a zigzag series. Pubic 

 bone weak, lanceolate, not serrate, its length about two fifths 

 head; ventral spines slender, pungent, serrulate above and below; 

 gill membranes free from isthmus behind, gill rakers long and 

 slender; caudal fin lunate, slightly emarginate. D. YII to XI, 

 I, 9; A. I, 8. Color brownish above, the upper part of sides with 

 numerous darker blotches simulating bands, lower parts silvery, 

 pubic and thoracic regions often black. Length 3 inches. 



The 10 spined stickleback inhabits the northern parts of 

 Europe, the Atlantic coast of America from Long Island to the 

 Arctic ocean; also tributaries of the Great lakes and northward 

 into British America and Alaska. In the Arctic fresh waters it 

 is represented by a form with shorter ventral spine, smaller eye, 

 lower fins, and other characters. 



Notwithstanding its small size, this fish serves a very useful 

 purpose as f^ood for the salmon and trout, and arctic explorers 

 have utilized it in vast numbers for feeding their dogs. Occur- 

 ring as it does in shallow fresh-water lagoons in summer, 

 apparently landlocked, and freezing solidly in winter, it has 

 always been a mystery how it survives. 



This stickleback is less abundant in Gravesend bay than the 

 two spined and three spined species. In Great South bay it is 

 known as the thornback. In 1890 it was seen onlv once. In 



